Means for adjustment of balancing machines



Oct. 27, 1953 l. A. W'EAVER ET AL ,7

MEANS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF BALANCING MACHINES Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3a 59 M n 81 n h ll" 32 wll Patented Oct. 27, 1953 MEANS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF BALANCING MACHINES Ira A. Weaver and Clyde H. Phelps,

Springfield,

Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Gisholt Machine Company, Madison, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 29, 1946, Serial No. 673,134

1 Claim.

The current invention pertains to novel and important betterments and resulting structural and functional advantages in balance-testing systems and the appliances employed for carrying out such procedures, and it relates more particularly to balance examination methods and measures designed and adapted to indicate the unbalance in one or more previously arbitrarilyselected planes-ofcorrection of the rotor undergoing investigation.

Heretofore, with such balance-testing methods and instruments, the first rotor of a type or form to be tested had to be balanced practically perfectly by trial-and-error procedures necessitating several runs of the balance-testing machine and rotor in order to obtain adequately correct balance.

Such first rotor having been thus completely balanced, known values of unbalance have been attached to the rotor at established angular positions in each correction-plane and the meter or indicating apparatus adjusted so that perfect indications were obtained of the amount of, and angular position of, the attached unbalance Weights.

Like or similar rotors, thereafter, have been run and correct indications secured with respect to balance without further trial-and-error methods, since the indicating apparatus or meter had been adjusted or calibrated for the special characteristics of this one particular type or form of rotor.

The tedious, experimental, initial balancing method of the first rotor mentioned is obviously a costly, time-consuming precedure and especially so ifthe number of rotors to be balanced is comparatively small.

One object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a system and means to eliminate the necessity for the trial-and-error runs of the first rotor of that type,'and to that the indicating apparatus may be adjusted before the rotor is revolved to supply reliable indications of the amount of unbalance and of its angular position in each selected plane of correction with the first run of the rotor.

A further aim of the invention is the provision of a means to determine quickly the correct adjustment of the meter or before the rotor is revolved.

To enable those skilled in this art to understand this invention from both structural and functional standpoints, a present preferred embodiment of the invention attaining the foregoing and other valuable purposes and objects has been make conditions such indicating apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and to which reference should be had in connection with. the following detailed description, like reference numerals throughout the several views of the drawings, for the sake of simplicity, having been employed to designate the same structural elements.

In such drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the novel balancetesting machine;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of such appliance with a portion, of the base broken away;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail of the machine;

Figure 5 is a large scale, face view of an uncovered one of the pair of crystal electric generators for operating a vacuum-tube electricvoltmeter;

Figure 6 is a lengthwise central section of the complete generator shown in Figure 5 on line 6-6 of such figure; and

Figure 7 presents the electric-circuits in which such generators are used.

By reference to these drawings (Figs. 1, 2, 3) it will be noted that upstanding from and supported by the base 3| of the machine are two pairs of complementary standards or posts 32, 32 located near opposite ends of the apparatus, each such pair of upright members supporting its horizontally vibratory bearing 33A or 33B by means of appropriately mounted depending wires 34, 34, these aligned bearings being adapted to support the rotor 35 to be tested by rotarily accommodating its shaft 36 on which it is mounted.

Such rotor and its shaft are adapted to be rotated in these bearings by an electric-motor 31 on thebase 3| (Figs. 2 and 3) the pulley of which motor drives a belt 38 partially encircling the rotor and revolving the latter, the rotor near its opposite ends carrying numerically graduated circular bands 39, 39 around it forming cooperative parts with stroboscopic lamps 12A, 123, each such band having its own individual stationary pointer or index 41 mounted in any approved manner, as shown (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7).

Piezoelectric crystal generators 43A and 4313 (Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6 and '7) are mounted respectively on depending portions 42, 42 (Fig. 3), of such vibratory or oscillatory bearings 33A and 3313, one of such generators being illustrated in detail in Figures 5 and 6.

Each of these electric-generators has two weights or inertia masses M and I44 (Fig. 5)

preferably, but not necessarily, of different values H justed longitudinal position on the supporting screw 45.

Shaft 46 (Fig. 6) for thelupper portion of its length fits inside of a hollow m e tal'rninbr l'l in which it is demountably retained by an accessible set-screw 48 equippedwith 'ajknurled head 49, such part 4? extending into a longitudinally divided housing 5i (Fig. 6). V

Such member ll has two oppositely extended,

cylindrical or shaft portions 52.a nd .53 oscillatqr respectively in rubber bearings 54 and 55 in the housing.

,The twosections or complementary parts 56 and 5'l of the casing 5lare normally held together in assembled relation, as illustrated; by four hollow rivets 58 by means of which the whole the amplifier 69 being sold as Strobotacf and sold by the Geneca Radio Company, Cambridge, Mass.

The Vacuum-tube voltmeter 68 is sometimes termed amplifier-rectifier vacuum-tube voltmeter which has voltage divider arrangements so that very small or very large voltages A. C.

' or D. C., may be read on the scale of the meter,

the voltage divider control indicating which volt- 'agerangeis inus'e. In the present case, however, the voltmeter has two Voltage dividers, one

foreach crystal, and switching means to conappliances may be readily mounted in proper 7 position on the bearings, as by'screws, not shown, extending through the apertured rivets (Fig. 5).

The inner end of part 53 is pro'videdwith a clamp 59 (Figs. 5 and 6) fitting over and grasping the corresponding enact the fiat crystal generator 6| consisting of a pair of thin, rectangular crystals of Rochelle saltftourmaline, quartz, or other comparable minerals joined together in known manner, the opposite or upper ends of the crystals having wires 62, 62 connected thereto and, provided with corresponding external term inals 63, 63, such end portions of the crystals being held between fixed rubber or other comparable elastic or resilient members 66, 64, the ,construction being such that, when spindle or shaft 46 is turned or rocked on its axis'in either direction by the relative oscillatory vibration of ,the, crystals 6| and the Weights or masses 44' and M4 around the axis of shaft 46, the crystals are twisted and strained and by reason of that action they createa minor electric voltage, and, assoon as the strain or twist is removedpthei crystals elastically return to normal position by reason, .atleastin part, of the reflex action of the pads .54. 6 4 ,the crystals and spindle being then yieldingly heldin this neutral position by the fricon imposed by the rubber-bearing 54, '55 (Figs.

. s Referring now toFigure 7, it will be noted that .the two terminals 63 of the crystal device 43A are connected to the two electric-contact '10, 10 of .a double-pole double-throw electric-switch, --characterized as a whole 65, the corresponding -terminals'of the other crystalgenerator 4313 be-.

ing ,connectedto. the other two terminals 66,

at of the same switch 55. V I .By suitable Wires the blades of switch 65are joined to those of a second like switchfil'one '1 set ofterminalsof said switch 61 being connected to. a vacuum-tube voltmeter indicator 68,"the otherv terminals of such switch 61 being joined to a stroboscope-control amplifier 69, whichj by switch H, maybe'connected to either one of the tWo strobos'co'pe-lamps 12A and 12B, whereby either crystalgenerator may be operatively connected to the voltmeter or to either stroboscopelamp.,..

As to their constructions and modesof operation, the crystal electriogenerators 43A, 4313, the

vacuum-tube voltmeter 68 and the stroboscope- 7 (Fig. 3).

fence weight 9l is threadably and adjustably'se- Tn'ect eithenthe crystal 43A and its divider or the crystal 'd3l3 'and its divider to the vacuumtube voltmeter; so, in efiect, there is a voltmeter ior each crystal, the voltage divider means permitting the use of all or any portion of the crystal-generated voltage. V Assuming that the maximum sensitivity of the meter system issay millivolts for a fullscale pointer deflection, then 50 millivolts is'all that is ever required for full-scale pointer deflection regardless ofthe; value of the output voltage of the crystal as either crystal and its associated voltage divider may be switch connected to the vacuum-tube meter and the voltage divider-adjusted to establish a meter calibration for; any given value. For example, if one voltage divider for one crystal system is such' that the meter pointer indicates one-half scale due to a periodic force applied in oneplane to the rotor while the latter is not rotating, it should be clear that a similar force of like value due to actualunbalance while the rotor is revolving-would provide a like meter indication, and as the valueof the first force is known the similar force o f;-unbalance of equal value is now known and other values are proportional. v

' Means for periodically applying a'known -adjustable force to the rotor before-anyrotation thereof comprise-ea horizontal plate Bl =(Figs. 1 and 3) fixedly mounted-on the base of-the appliancein anyapprio-vedmanner, :such plate having a longitudinal slot 83 (Fig. l) therethrough "parallel to the'norm'al geometric axis ofthe rotor shaft 36'whe'n the latter is stationary. w I A bracket .82 '(Fig. 3) is adjustable; on 'and lengthwise of this supporting plate 8] and has a threaded stud" extended down through the ;slot 83' and "carrying itstightening nut 84 below the plate by means of which the bracket maybe "i'irmly 'secured in any desired adjusted position along and'crosswiseof the slot. 1 'Hingedto bracketSZ at 95 with its pivot parallel to theslot'is an upstanding arm afi'pulled toward the rotor by a manually adjustable spring "81connected to the erect arm' of the bracket At its top, "such arm .86 carriesan electric-mo- "tor 88 whose shaft, parallel to slot 83,; is equipped with a fitting '89 'to which aneccentri unbalcured by a radially disposed screw 92 ,(Fig: 3). 'Thepointed rod93 fixedly-mounted on themotor in the plane of the: unbalance weight 9|. by the curved arm' 94;'is,xof course',iurged-toward the rotor by the spring 81 the tension. of which is"adjustable by nut 9 to which it is attached. It "will be readily understood" from the foregoing-that motor flt'and itsipointed-v rod 33 318 mounted in" such a manner control amplifier '69 are all well-known'in'the art and are readily purchasable in the market,

u that theyand the rotor' to be tested are' free'to vibrate horizontally in the" transversev "planepf the rotor in consonance with the centrifugal force set up by 5 on the threaded rod 96 owing to the vibration of bearing the'rotationbf the" unbalance weight 91,- the active point ofr'od193 being in the horizontal plane of the axis of the rotor shaft.

In place of such motor-operated mechanism any other comparable or appropriate construction could be used.

The various successive factors in connection with the practice of the present invention are as follows:

1. Two parallel correction-planes A and B are selected on the vibrationally mounted rotor 35, Figure 1, at right-:angles to the axis thereof and preferably near the opposite ends of the rotor.

2. Thereafter, a known periodic-force is applied externally by the unbalanced electricmotor 88 and its pointed vibrator 93 to the nonrotating rotor in the horizontal plane of its axis and in the correction-plane A (Figure 1) at a frequency desirably, but not necessarily, equivalent to the designed, but not then employed, number of revolutions per minute of the rotor when later in actual commercial operation.

3. The crystal electric generator 43B on bearing-member 3318 having been connected through switches 65 and 61 to the electric-voltmeter 68, 33B, due to the periodically applied force in correction-plane A to the rotor and bearing by the unbalanced electric motor, the weights 44 and I44 of the generator 43B will probably allow oscillation of shaft 46 producing twisting of the crystals and the production of an electric-voltage which will be registered on the face of voltmeter 68. If the mass I44 having a higher velocity than that of the companion mass 44 be adjusted along the common axis of the screw 45 towardor away from the heavier mass 44 having the lower velocity, a point of adjustment between the two masses can be found where the inertia of the smaller mass of greater velocity will equal the inertia of the larger mass of lesser velocity such that zero torque will be applied about the pivot 46 during the vibration or oscillation of the rotor, the two-mass axis 45 will remain parallel to the geometric center-line of the rotor, and, therefore, the unbalance will have zero torque effect about pivot 46. It follows that any voltmeter operable by the movement of the two masses about pivot 46 would provide a zero reading of any unbalance in correction-plane A but would indicate unbalance in an other transverse plane along the geometric axis of the rotor. Accordingly, the operator adjusts the weights 44 and I44 relative to one another to produce such result so that the voltmeter presents zero reading.

4. The unbalanced electric-motor 88 is then shifted for operation in correction-plane B and vibrates the stationary rotor in such correctionplane B.

5. The electric crystal generator 43A of bearing 33A is now electrically connected to the voltmeter 68 instead of generator 43B and the two weights or masses 44 and I44 of generator 43A are adjusted lengthwise relative to one another to produce zero reading of generator 43A on the voltmeter 68.

'6. Now while the unbalanced electric motor 88 is still vibrating the rotor in plane B the crystal generator 433 is generating a voltage proportional to this vibration while the other crystal generator 43A at bearing A is not generatin any voltage and, therefore, the crystal generator 433 having been connected to the voltmeter and the crystal generator 43A having been disconnected therefrom the former will operate: the voltmeter which may now be calibrated or adjusted by its own mechanism to read in terms of weight or force by reason of the fact that the value of the periodically applied force is then known..

'7. In order to adjust or calibrate the voltmeter for vibration in correction-plane .A, it is now necessary to remove the unbalanced electric-motor 88 and cause it to vibrate the rotor in correction-plane A and then while the electric-generator 43A is connected to the voltmeter, the latter can be calibrated by its own means in terms of weight or force, the adjustment being such that the meter index can be caused to register any amount for the known periodically applied force.

After the foregoing has been accomplished, each weight and crystal combination has been adjusted to respond to unbalance in a single selected transverse plane through the rotor but with no effect from unbalance in another plane, this being of the essence of the balancing procedure.

As any rotor can be brought to complete balance by its correction in two correction-planes, it cannot be balanced in any one plane and, therefore, \we have two selected planes A and B in which to add or remove appropriate mass for complete balance and each foregoing crystal and weight adjustment has been made so as to respond to unbalance in its selected plane without effect from unbalance in another plane so that when the unbalance has been corrected in the two planes all unbalance has been corrected and for all planes. I

8. Removing the application of the periodic force entirely, the rotor is now, rotated at a speed ordinarily equal to the frequency of the previously applied periodic force, or at any ap-- propriate speed provided the voltmeter indicator has been correspondingly adjusted or calibrated and during such rotation the electric generator 43A is connected to the voltmeter 68 and the reading thereon is now proportional to the known periodic force which was applied in correction-plane A from which the meter was calibrated and, therefore, the meter now indicates the unbalance weight or force in the rotor in such correction-plane A.

9. Using this same generated voltage, the stroboscope is connected in the circuit instead of the voltmeter and it flashes at a point of maximum voltage indicating on its associated number strip 39 attached around the rotor the angular position of the unbalanced weight in plane A.

10. Then by connecting the electric generator 4313 to the voltmeter the amount of unbalance in correction-plane B is determined.

11. Thereupon by connecting the generator 43B with the stroboscope the angular position of the unbalance weight in correction-plane B is made known in the usual Way.

Thus the amounts of weight change required in both correction-planes has been found and their angular positions ascertained so that the rotor can be readily and easily balanced.

Further, as to the voltmeter its indicating means may consist of a single dial as shown in the drawing useable with either crystal electric generator or it may have two dials independently employed for the separate generators. The reason that two dials are employed, one for each generator, is that they may not be exactly of the aea mo and advantages; i 7

'Whereas the preferred method has been descrihd as e'in'ploi ing two electric crystal gem ere/toi s, on-e' ro r each.-'correction-p1ane, it is to be btme in-mmd 'tii at'o'ne only need be actually emi bidyedby-shifting it'as needed from one position to the other, such system being the full'equivalent df'tii' 'pr ferred one set forth in detail and therelore incorporating the present invention in a -sl1'g'htly different form Weciaimi' in a ro'tor balance testing machine, a support fo'i an imbalanced 'rotor permitting Vibratory motion thereof, a pair of axially spaced unbalance 'indicat'i'nfifievicescarried by said support to recave and 'measurethe vibrations of the rotor as i ela'ted to two corresponding axial-1y spaced setented e'orr' tion' planes, a fixed base adjacent se'idsiibbort and extending longitudinally thereof, a '6 a Vibration dev-ice" adjustably'mounted-on 'saidba'se so to be placed at any one of several s ifiionsjaiofig' the same in the direction longi nally ofthe roto'r and comprising a lever arm '1) ot'al toward and away from the rotor, a striker "carried by said lev'er and' adapted to engage a surface of the rotor in a selected correction plane,

siai -mig n eansbiasing saidlever in a direction to 'eff'e'et engagement of said striker with the rotor, a

mdt'dt carried by said lever adjacent said h 8 V striker, an eccentrie inertia weight adjustably mounted 'on 'the motor-shaft whereby said motor efiects vibration"of'rsaid-lever and: striker-against the iotor "whereby periodic ,forces of known magnitude maybe applied to a stationary rotor at a frequency selected for calibration of said unbah anc'e measuring devices in accordance with vibrations-of 'the'rotor resulting; from actuation of said striker. I A -WEAYER- .PBEPP fitgrg gne s one?! late "flit ofthispatent N T TE lished'byva'n Nd trandfcompa y Incl, 250 Fourth -Ave., New Ydrk', N. Oct.- 1928; See pages '19 and 3847.

" Electromagnetic Devices, b -c. "Raters -('chapter x ii, 116, sec; "1, pages 423-, 424), 194 1, John Wiley 8: me New YorkfN; Y. 

